IT’S only January, and Bolton-born and bred actress Diane Morgan has already returned to our screens with two new seasons of hit TV shows.

Following the festive special the “mistress of the deadpan arts”, Diane Morgan’s comedy ‘Mandy’ has returned with a second series of shorts.

The show follows Mandy as she chases her dreams through more weird and short-lived jobs ­— the first of which is a tour guide at Brampton Hall.

Series two, which can be watched on BBC iPlayer, features an all-star comedy cast, which sees Michelle Greenidge as Lola, Mandy’s friend and confidante in the local nail bar; and Tom Basden as Mandy’s exasperated benefits officers and other familiar faces returning.

As well as appearing as the lead character, Diane also writes and directs the series.

Diane said: “At this time of debate about the future of the BBC, a second series of Mandy could not be more timely.

“If anything proves the worth of the corporation it’s a show about a woman who wants to breed doberman pinchers.

“It’s not something you’d get on Amazon Prime or BFI Player.”

Diane also plays Kath alongside Ricky Gervais in season 3 of the bittersweet comedy, Afterlife, which has just been released on Netflix.

Her character Kath, works in advertising at the Tambury Gazette with Ricky, where she developed a crush on the editor in the last season, and viewers will find out were it goes from there.

And Diane, who attended the now closed George Tomlinson School is also set to reprise her role as ill-informed investigator Philomena Cunk for the new BBC series Cunk On Earth, later in the year.

The mockumentary will see Philomena try to uncover humankind’s greatest achievements and discover how humans came to be.

She will aim to explain some of society’s greatest achievements, from the Mona Lisa to nuclear power.

She said: “This series it’s in my contract to go somewhere better than just Britain so I’m hoping I at least go to Italy as that seems a safe bet.

“I’m looking forward to getting out of the house and tracing huma